The poem was Shelley’s ‘Ozymandias’. The words from the poem are LEGS (16), TWO (17A), SANDS (26), NOTHING (37), KING (42), ANTIQUE (5), LAND (9), TRAVELLER (10), MET (23), DESPAIR (32). OZYMANDIAS (in the twelfth row) was to be shaded. First prize P.J.W.
SOIL (9) — cryptically indicated by ISLAND IN THE SUN (1A), the title of a SONG (40) recorded by HARRY BELAFONTE (43) — defines each of the other unclued lights. First prize Mrs P. Newbury, Linlithgow, West Lothian Runners-up C.
The answer to the subtraction sum in the title is 1947. So all the unclued lights are celebrities who celebrate their 70th birthday this year. The first letter of each clue, read in order, announce Doc’s 70th birthday. First prize Emma Wood, Loscoe, Heanor, Derbyshire Runners-up Tom Richards, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire; George D.
Redundant words were 12A virgin, 16A crazy, 38A mammal, 18D state, 21D greed, 25D tendon, 34D extremist. These respectively defined 14A vestal, 20D lunatic, 6D marsupial, 23D Indiana, 33A cupidity, 15A paxwax, 41A absolutist. Roman gods (underlined) in these words were turned into their Greek equivalents.
4, 40, 43, 1, 3, 16 and 17 were all examples of PORTMANTEAU words, into which are packed the sense (and sound) of two other words. First prize F. Whitehead, Harrogate, N. Yorks Runners-up Mark Rowntree, London SE10; D.G.
One of the unclued 4-letter lights is placed in the very middle of another to form each of the four unclued 8-letter solutions: 8, around 30=44; 19, around 22=2, 37, around 25D=20; 38, around 21=13.
Extra letters in clues gave SAM GOLDWYN, to whom are attributed I’LL GIVE YOU (5) A DEFINITE (8) MAYBE (1A), INCLUDE (23) ME OUT (7), and IN TWO (33) WORDS (34A) IM-POSSIBLE! (38). Goldfish was his former name.
The thematic BEATLES ALBUM (38 32) is SERGEANT PEPPER (1A 6A). 1A defines 17, and can be divided into words defined by 31 and 20; 6A defines 6D, 19 and 24. First prize Margaret Lusk, Preston, Lancashire Runners-up C.G.
The unclued lights, as well as KEITH, are Scottish place names. TARBERT was required at 28A, rather than LARBERT. First prize Una Lynch, Haywards Heath, West Sussex Runners-up R.R.
Procne (37D), Tereus (23D), Scylla (19D) and Arachne (30D) were all given as anagrams, as was Ovid (42D). Daphne (1D) changed to laurel, and Niobe (7A) to stone, as in the Metamorphoses (45A). First prize Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath Runners-up R. Wightman, Ilkley, W.
Corrections of misprints in clues give TANGLED UP IN BLUE, the title of a song by Bob Dylan. Answers to thematic clues are nine (15), rip (20), char (24), into (25) and fur (30), each tangled up in blue (respectively perse, cyan, navy, Saxe and teal) to form entries defined by 22, 1D, 13, 38 and 31. The artist’s name, tangled up at 26A/29, is shaded in blue. First prize Pam Dunn, Sevenoaks, Kent Runners-up Willie Hamilton, Exeter; D& D.
Solution to 2308: Landmark This puzzle was Doc’s 600th to be published in this series. The unclued lights are two-word phrases beginning with D and C (DC = 600). The paired lights are 7/8, 21A/39, 21D/3, 35/25 and 40/24. The solution at 7A, D-0-C, is the serendipitous link between the theme and the compiler’s name. First prize M.F.
On 18 March 2017 the great ROCK’N’ROLLER (3) Chuck Berry died. Round the perimeter run the titles of four of his compositions, ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN, JOHNNY B. GOODE, YOU NEVER CAN TELL and NADINE, followed by his initials. The further title given is SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN (14/26/23). First prize Peter Dean, London W8 Runners-up E. & S. Macintosh, Darlington, Co.
The instruction was ‘SEND IN THE CLOWNS’ (21D/14) from A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim. The remaining unclued lights were COCO (12), ANTIC (24), ZANY (43), FESTE (1D), COSTARD (5D), JOSKIN (30) and YORICK (33). SONDHEIM (diagonally from 21) was to be shaded.
The unclued lights are trios of Cluedo © rooms at 1A, 14A and 40, weapons at 6, 13 and 14, and suspects at 5, 27 and 36. The solution to the crime are the highlighted HALL, ROPE and PLUM. First prize P.
The HEADWORD (26) ‘bail’ appears six times in CHAMBERS (1D). Its different meanings include CROSSPIECE (1A), BAR (25), FRAME (36), HOOP (40), LADLE (16) and SECURITY (24). BAIL (diagonally from 32) was to be shaded. First prize Jacqui Sohn, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Houston, Texas; B.
Five unclued lights are titles of RAGS (24) by SCOTT JOPLIN (32 31), who died on 1 April 1917.
The twelve undefined solutions become one Scottish and eleven English towns, if the final letter is omitted or a letter is added at the start.
Unclued lights (in red) are the characteristics of ‘the period’, from the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities. The highlighted words are part of the same quote, appropriately occupying the first line of the grid. First prize R. Snailham, Windsor, Berkshire Runners-up M.
Extra letters in clues give CONSTABLES, defining 7, 21 and 39. Other unclued lights are CONS (12, 16, 18) and TABLES (9, 20, 30). First prize Roland Rance, London E17 Runners-up Nigel Dobbs, Carrickfergus, Co.
